Solera - A Shrine To Wine

It's hard not to love this place- long-standing, local small business with a good variety of wines of all kinds and price points. The staff are very welcoming and knowledgable, and will steer you in the right direction for your budget or taste without any kind of hard sell or pretention- and they're also very dog-friendly, which makes them even more awesome IMO. They do regular tastings and celebrations, and even take BLocal in case you're a part of that program. Glad this place exists- definitely a local gem worth checking out.

Love, love, love. Nice local Roslindale spot to grab a bottle of wine. They don't have as big of a selection as a massive retailer but the service here is amazing.

They also have some unique selections from different regions if you're looking to spread your wings. I stopped in and was offered help almost immediately and the gentleman was friendly and offered a good suggestion based on my taste and budget. Wait, where's the box wine? Just kidding, interesting boutique finds here.

Parking around Roslindale village is tight but it is a short walk from the commuter village stop. Service is superior.

Stopped in with a friend-wanted to look around and get a gift. When asked if we needed help, I said yes and explained in general terms a merlot..a gift. The response was not great! In fact it was condescending and rude which made me feel as if my limited knowledge of wine was frustrating for this establishment. 3 stars for location, neighborhood & store appearance.

It's been 20 years since Solera opened in a resurging Roslindale Square and since I have known Michael, Maria, and Marjorie as my wine advisors and my friends. How have I neglected posting a fantastic Yelp review? Solera offer a well-curated selection of international wines with much knowledge of terroir and food pairings. Personality and customer service are awesome. It is as good as it gets!

My FAVORITE place to shop wine. This is wine HEAVEN. The staff is super informative, helpful and clearly have a love for wine. One staff member helped me pick out a Pinot Noir base on what I told her I liked and BAM I officially have a new favorite Pinot Noir.

The selection itself is detailed and labeled - exactly how a wine shop should be.

This place is my absolute go to.

A Shrine to Wine, indeed. I love this shop, the selection is amazing, the staff is knowledgeable and friendly. They helped me find some really lovely reds and nice roses as well. I don't drink white, but in the summer you have to have a nice light, but not sweet rose, red is just too heavy for some days.

They've helped me with sparkling for special occasions as well. This is my go to, it if wasn't in my neighborhood I would travel to get my wine here. I'm glad it's my neighborhood wine shop.

Solera is just what a wine shop should be: simple and to the point, but with a selection that is both broad in its appeal and discriminately refined. I've not been disappointed with any of the Spanish wine; they even have a couple choices of Cava if Champagne is not within your budget (I actually prefer it). Both French and Italian options are quite extensive and cover the key regions with precision.

That said, they haven't seemed to neglect their beer offering at all as a result of their focus on carefully selecting wine. There's often Scottish Ales, undoubtedly provided by a homesick elder and Solera's proprietor; domestic all star nominees and organic favorites alike; and all very fairly priced (given the nature and quality of craft beer) at $9-$12 per sixer.

A fancy cat struts about her kingdom in regal fashion. Don't look her in the eye; she will steal your soul. Patron the garden; an oasis in the Village! Now, go get yourself some lascivious libations and whet your palate...

Wonderful selection of wines from $7 to $107. The owners are fun and knowledgable. They will only steer you toward what you are looking for in a wine.. no wasteful upselling like most wine shops around Boston.

If I remember correctly, during the First weekend of every month, you can pick and choose any 12 wines under $20 (totalling a case) and get %10 off.

Great spot!!

I am trying hard to understand why people like this place. For me, the service is seriously overbearing. The management seems to find it impossible to let you look around without pouncing on you and offering advice even when you've said you prefer to look at what they have first.

I once bought a bottle of champagne here--they didn't have the bottle I requested on ice, so they then produced a much more expensive bottle that was chilled. Fine, these things happen, but the classy thing to do is to offer me the more expensive bottle at the price of the one I originally requested.

The best way to really learn about wine is to 1). Find a good local wine shop, 2). Shop there a few times a month, and 3). Tell the folks that run the place what you liked. This may require taking some notes while you drink. God knows my memory isn't what it used to be . . .

But Solera is EXACTLY the right place for all that. Michael and Maria and Margery will remember you and your tastes after about two visits. If you are looking for generic major label American varietals or trendy mass market favorites (please, no more "Yellowtail"!! Please!!!) you don't need to shop here. But if you're open to a Rioja or a Chateuneuf-du-pape or a domestic Malbec (a domestic Malbec?? Are you serious?) try this shop. Take a deep breath. Enjoy the dialogue. Wine is great fun. Solera just gets it right.